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Grange Fair canceled

CENTRE HALL – Another tradition bites the dust.

While many other Centre County fairs and festivals had already been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, organizers of the Centre County Grange Encampment Fair were holding out hope that the fair could be held in August.

Those hopes were dashed on Wednesday night when the fair committee announced on Facebook that the fair was being canceled “with great sadness.”

“The health and safety of our tenting and RV families, fairgoers, staff, concessionaires, sponsors, entertainers and others is of utmost importance,” Ben Haagen, Grange Fair Committee president, wrote in the message. “It is clear to us, the Grange Fair Committee, that we would be unable to adhere to the CDC mandates of social distancing protocols at this time. Thank you for your understanding and patience during these unprecedented times. We look forward to seeing everyone at the 2021 Grange Fair!”

The Grange Fair was scheduled for Aug. 21 through Aug. 29 in Centre Hall. It would have been the 146th version of the Grange Fair.

The Grange Fair joins the Clinton County Fair on the list of cancellations. The Clinton County Fair was canceled last week.

According to its website, the Grange Fair draws 200,000 visitors each year over the course of nine days. The Grange Fair is Pennsylvania’s largest fair in terms of acreage (264). It also hosts 1,500 RVs and 1,000 tents for the families who stay for the duration in what is often a tradition passed down from generation to generation.

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